Monday, March 29, 2010

Signs of Easter

Easter is round the corner and there's evidence of it all around.

Easter candles are on sale. Kids will take these to church for the Resurrection sevice on Saturday night.


There's an abundance of special cakes in the cake shops. Many people give up dairy products for Lent, so can only eat sweets made without milk or butter. Syrup sweets made with nuts, filo and sugar, are commonly consumed during this period.


And for those not fasting, there are chocolate bunnies and chickens on a stick!


What does Easter look like where you are?

10 comments:

Karen said...

How did dairy become the common thing to give up for Lent?

Easter here looks like this: Palm Sunday celebration at church, where children wave Palm leaves as people enter sanctuary. Our church does a living Last Supper, where actors pose for hours on end. I didn't have high hopes, but found it to be very moving. There will be a big egg hunt on the church grounds on Saturday, and then of course Sunday services celebrating the resurrection. Most people eat brunch out for Easter...which reminds me that I haven't yet made reservations..

Tinsie said...

Thanks for sharing, Karen. Your celebrations are so different to ours. The living Last Supper sounds quite interesting!

Traditionally people cut out dairy, meat and olive oil for Lent, although most people these days will only refrain from eating meat (and many don't fast at all). I think the general idea is that fasting guards against gluttony, so all rich foods must be avoided. Once upon a time, dairy and meat must have been the richest and most enjoyable foods one could have. These days however, turning down meat in favour of delicacies such as squid, prawn and lobster kind of defies the whole purpose of fasting...

Karen said...

I really don't think I could do without olive oil! I would really, really want the cheese (which I guess is the point), but I could live without meat. I'm guessing (from your late breakfast) that you did not fast. Am I right?

Tell us the about the candle tradition. I love that.

Shionge said...

Cool, I was trying to figure out the candles and they are so pretty.

tapirgal said...

I haven't seen signs of Easter yet, but that chicken cookie MADE ME HUNGRY!

Gattina said...

Easter is so bright and yellow ! with lots of yellow flowers. I like to decorate my house with eggs and easter bunnies ! I do an Easter tree but otherwise than visting or receiving friends we don't do anything special.

Tinsie said...

@ Κaren: No, I've not cut out dairy, meat or oil. More proof here! I follow the British/Anglican tradition for observing Lent, so I cut out something that I know I will really miss. Last year I cut out sugar, but this year I'm on a diet anyway so I cut out getting stressed over things instead, hoping for a zen-like approach to life.

I've almost succeeded too. I forget to be cool about things much too often and have to keep reminding myself that I've cut out anger. Which I guess is the whole point. Sigh.

@ Karen/Shionge: I think I might do a separate post about the candles, as it's one of my favourite traditions :-)

@ Tapirgal: What can I say, I feel for you.

@ Gattina: I love the idea of the Easter tree! We don't have those here.

ShadowFalcon said...

Easter at the moment looks like Eggs in Tesco on sale. I know rather sad.

Tinsie said...

Tesco eggs are better than no eggs :-)

Fifi Flowers said...

OOooh I like all the sweetest in your part of the world!!!